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BEEP BEEP BEEP

"No please," I whimpered.

BEEP BEEP BEEP

I swung my hand to stop the alarm.

*SLAP*

That was not my phone.

My eyes snapped open. My hand was on top of Anthony's very handsome, very grumpy-looking, face.

"I am so sorry!" I yelped and sat up too quickly. "Fuck!" I hissed and grabbed my head.

"Are you okay?" His voice was gravelly from lack of sleep.

"I'm sorry!" I said again, knowing I was the reason. This was the second time I had willingly shared a bed with Anthony. The thought sent my heart pounding.

"You said that already." His eyes were still glued shut.

I reached to pull the covers off and winced at the pain.

"Fuck!"

"Limited vocabulary this morning?"

"My arm."

The memories of the night before rushed into my head.

I had spent the night drinking with my brothers, and then getting a tattoo! From fuzzy memories, I understood that Felix and I had settled our problems.

I had been officially initiated as a Tonelli.

Oh God.

Was I in the mafia now? Felix said I had to let him worry about me now, I didn't know what that meant. It sounded good at the time, maybe it would be fine.

Maybe I didn't just agree to commit crimes in the name of family.

My arm twinged again and I looked down.

My tattoo. My fucking La Famiglia è Tutto tattoo.

"Fuck?" Anthony finished my thought for me, he had gotten up, leaning on his elbow for support.

I just stared at him.

"These aren't reversible, aren't they?"

"I would recommend checking if you're caught up on your vaccines."

My eyes widened.

Anthony got up quickly and walked to the kitchen.

"I'll make coffee," he muttered.

I just sat there, gaping at the doorway, gaping at my arm.

You're not a fish, Lydia.

I scrambled out of bed and ran to the bathroom to shower and feel like a person again.

When I got out, there was coffee, toast, and eggs on the kitchen island.

"Eat." Anthony didn't look at me, just moved around the kitchen, cleaning up the mess.

"Thank you," I sat on a stool and began picking at the food. "Are you mad at me?"

"No." He continued tidying up and not making eye contact. "Do you feel nauseas?"

"I'm fine."

"Good."

"Are you mad at me?"

"No, of course not. Do you need ointment for that?" He gestured to the tattoo, still not looking at me.

"I don't know. I wasn't all there for aftercare instructions."

Anthony stiffened but said nothing.

"Are you sure you're not upset?"

"Yes, Lydia."

"Do you know where my phone is?" I asked sheepishly.

"Probably in the doorway where you were sprawled out."

I was horrified. My cheeks burned, I remembered how I had sat on the floor, staring up at him. Trying to— trying to what? Seduce him? Jesus Christ, Lydia!

I would never drink again, never, ever, ever again. I was an idiot, an absolutely embarrassing idiot.

I had to get out of here, Anthony was probably acting so weird because I made such a humongous fool of myself.

I got dressed and packed a bag to get out of the house for a bit. I didn't know where I would go, but I had to get out.

There was a soft knock on the door.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm going to get some air."

"Lydia."

"I'll see you later."

I walked down to the bar before he could say anything else.

Anthony

Did you see her leave?

"Yeah, she rushed passed me, didn't even say hi. Rude."

"She had a rough night."

"You both did," Raul said, a condescending smirk on his lips. "You owe me, by the way. This is the second day in a row I'm taking care of the bar so you can impress the in-laws."

"They're not my in-laws."

"Yet."

"Yet— fuck, that's not what I meant."

"The heart wants what it wants man."

"I'm running on very little sleep. You can't trust anything I say."

"When are you two going to stop tip-toeing past each other?"

"She works for us Raul. What am I supposed to do? Fire her so I can date her? Or sell my half of the bar? I'm not going to force her out of the only security she has in her life right now. Who knows what's going to happen with her family."

"You don't think this new peace will last?" Lydia had told Raul bits and pieces of her family drama.

"I'm sure it will, at her cost, again." I shook my head.

Raul raised a brow.

"Her brothers are great guys. I'm just not going to hold my breath."

The amount of manipulative shit Felix had done, it would take a lot for me to be able to look past that. I would never say that to Lydia though, I wanted her to have a good relationship with her family.

"Don't project your own shit onto her though, man."

I may have told Raul bits of my own past.

"I know, that's why I'm not saying anything. I'm happy if she's happy."

"Sounds an awful lot like a booyyyyfriendddd."

"Enough. Can we move on?"

"Yes, go ahead, tell me, what's new in Lanthonyland."

"I told you, I hate that."

"Andyia, go ahead."

I just rolled my eyes but continued.

"She slept in my bed last night."

"YOU DIDN'T WANT TO START WITH THAT?"

"Nothing happened!"

"I've heard that before."

"She was drunk, and I was mad, and I don't know what happened. She was sprawled out in our doorway. Her dress— Jesus, the way she was looking at me from the floor— I just— she just—"

"Okay, that's enough, continue please."

"I'm trying not to lose my cool around her. I don't want to scare her away. So instead of lecturing her about the dangers of getting a tattoo at a sketchy parlor, I just said nothing. Literally, yesterday and this morning I've been singing the Greek National Anthem to stop myself from saying anything to her. And then she followed me to the bed. And got in."

"And then?"'

"And then nothing, she just stayed and we talked and we laughed."

"You have stars in your eyes, Anthony."

"I haven't felt this way about anyone, Raul."

"You just spent all night kicking your feet and giggling?"

"Basically," I laughed.

"That's love, man."

"It is?"

"If you can just lay in bed with a girl, and all you can think about his how your going to make her laugh next, that's love."

I said nothing.

I think I was in love with Lydia. It scared the shit out of me to admit it, to admit what I had suspected for a while now.

"What the fuck am I gonna do?"

"Girls like that don't stay alone for long, you need to say something to her."

"Tonight, after the dinner with her family."

Lydia

I flew past Raul on the way out. I barely smiled at him, cringing at the thought of them two talking about what happened last night.

Anthony would tell him what a mess I was, and they would both laugh at how ridiculous and embarrassing the whole situation was.

If there was any chance Anthony had remaining feelings for me, last night destroyed it.

He was mad at how late I was out, he hated the tattoo, and he probably hated me by now.

Maybe this was the hangxiety speaking. Maybe I needed to calm down. It was 10, I wished anyone was awake right now to talk to. 

The boys were worse off than me, no one would be awake before 1. 

As I walked aimlessly on the street I felt my phone buzz with a notification.

Hey miss NY, are you free for lunch?

-Damon

Dun dun dunnnnnnnn

ahhhh, how do you guys feel about this chapter? 

What do you think Damon's going to say?

I'm so sorry it's been so lagged. A lot has been happenning

Chain of events- I'm engaged, so that was crazy and fun.

Then I started editing the first parts of this book so that I can publish it ASAP.  Once I started editing from start to finish it was easier to see an ending to this one.

I don't think there will be more than a handful more chapters before I end Lydia's story, so  if there's anything else you guys wanna see, maybe something I can write in a future book, let me know!

I'm beginning to brainstorm Lexi's book, so let me know your thoughts on that. 

For those that don't know wtf I'm talking about lol, I was thinking how cool Lexi's story could be. she has absent parents, her bro doesn't care about her, she just has Melvin from childhood to adulthood, and he's—you know, Melvin. Protective bf trope just hits different lol. Especially when you know what his brand of protectiveness is already. 

Anyway, love yall! Read my book on Amazon, or follow me on GoodReads and we can chat, or comment on wattpad and I'll respond!

Love Love LOve you guys.

amazon- https://a.co/d/0iltmpWd

GoodReads- https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6645772.Anna_K_